The most severe punitive measure applied for a crime is a party being required to spend a set time period in a state penitentiary. Once this condition is satisfied, the person normally is reviewed and enrolled in parole. But keep in mind. If a person is an admirable prisoner, they may be eligible to obtain an earlier completion of their sentence through this behavior.

The legal system rewards parties that appear to have atoned for or acknowledged the serious nature of their crime and deduce these persons are less likely to re-enter the criminal justice system.

There are, however, some states that have abolished this system either depending on the crime or the regulations they are required to enforce.

Is Parole an Option For Everyone?

In fact, many parties are not allowed to be eligible for parole on the first occasion they go before the examination parole. The parole board reviews factors such as:

Did the prisoner enroll in educational programs?

Did this person engage in treatment if they had a substance abuse problem?

Did the party attempt to learn a trade to sustain themselves in an appropriate fashion upon release?

Was this person ever written up for breaking any prison rules?

How long do they have remaining in their prison term?

How old is this person?

Are they of a sound mental state?

The key element in a parole board determining if a person should be paroled is if this party will go out and commit the same crime or another crime. Due to increasing public pressure, there are people who commit specific crimes, such as sex offenders, that will never receive this privilege. Also, the nature of the prison term can be a variable. Some people are sentenced to prison with the condition they will never be granted parole.

Is There a Certain Length of Time Someone Can Be on Parole?

Again how long someone will be on parole for is not a set limit, but generally relies upon:

What was the crime?

How long was the person in prison?

Is this person performing responsibly in society on parole?

In most cases, if a person does what they are supposed to for significant period of time, they will be released from parole.

Can A Person Go Right Home When They Leave Prison?

Normally this varies depending on the situation. In some instances a person who is close to the end of their sentence may be transitioned to a facility with less sanctions. People in the same situation in a prison with less security features may be allowed to enter the community on a work-release program.

If an individual behaves in the correct fashion, then normally he or she is allowed to enter a half-way house, some other type of community that offers work or the ability to leave the prison for set periods of time on a pass. Generally speaking, if a person satisfies all their requirements to the satisfaction of the administrative authorities, they can and do obtain parole.

What Can Person On Parole Do?

This depends on the scenario some prisoners:

Must submit to an electronic monitoring device for a certain time period

Monitored closely by a parole officer for all activities other than work

Can a Person on Parole Travel Outside of Their State of Residence?

In general most parole officers do not allow their charges to take one step over state boundaries and if they are allowed to do so it is only with their leave in situations such as:

For a family funeral

To aid a sick family member

This depends on the situation of course, but any access to another state is usually severely curtailed. A person could apply for a transfer to another state, but the circumstances, such as the promise of extremely gainful employment must be satisfied, in order for that ever to occur.

What Happens if Someone Breaks The Rules of Their Parole?

When a person is charged with violating their parole, the party is normally afforded the chance to refute the charge at a hearing. This is a two-step process with the person first going before the board to tell their side of the story and then another board hearing to decide if this person did, indeed, break the rules.

People guilty of these accusations with usually be returned to the penal justice system:

Do not meet with their parole officer as scheduled

Have possessed drugs or firearms

Keep company with criminal elements

Are taken into custody for the same or another crime even if the arrest receives no charges and only citations